Why Do It In Latin?

[Laudate_Dominum]

Amen brother. I've also read that in medieval times it was customary to ring the church bells at the consecration so that those who were not in attendance would be able to stop what they were doing and adore Christ.
I am also familiar with the use of hand bells in processions and other occasions which were partly used as an invitation to prayer. There was also a custom of ringing a bell when a person had died, seemingly for similar purposes.
It seems quite reasonable to suppose that this kind of meaning is connected with the use of bells at the consecration. In any case I hardly doubt that it was some empty utilitarian reason such as the anti-Catholic professors like to spew.

When I hear bells at Mass I see it as a call to attentiveness and adoration as well as an announcement of the coming of the Lord of all.

Something I would add to what you've said Al, is that if anyone claims that the origin of bells has anything whatsoever to do with following along in the missal they are obviously quite wrong since the use of bells predates the people's missal (and the printing press).